Sun Dried Tomato Lemon Baked Salmon and Asparagus
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What I Love About My Sun-Dried Tomato Baked Salmon
I make salmon about once as week and love variating flavors. On busy nights, I throw in veggies with it too to make one pan dinner. I love dressing it up my salmon with bold Italian flavors like sun-dried tomatoes, lemon, and garlic.
- Big flavor from a simple sauce: Sweet-tart sun-dried tomatoes, fresh lemon zest, and plenty of garlic give every bite a tangy, savory kick. The white wine adds a little brightness underneath.
- Dinner on one pan: I whisk the sauce in one small bowl and bake everything on a single parchment-lined sheet, so there’s very little cleanup.
- Weeknight fast: Prep is about 5 minutes, and the salmon and asparagus bake together in 18 to 20 minutes.
- Built-in vegetable: With the asparagus already on the pan, a simple side of rice or bread is all it takes to make it a full meal.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Salmon Fillets: I use skin-on salmon fillets for best results. The three main types you’ll find are Atlantic, sockeye, and king salmon. Sockeye is leaner, so keep a closer eye on it, since lean salmon dries out faster when overcooked.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil: Go with the oil-packed kind and drain them, since the sauce uses just the tomatoes. Dry-packed tomatoes would need to be rehydrated first. Look for the jars in the Italian section of the store, usually near the jarred pestos. If you have tomatoes left in the jar, blend them into a batch of sun-dried tomato pesto.
- Dry White Wine: Use a dry white wine you’d actually enjoy drinking, since its flavor goes right into the sauce.
- Lemon: This recipe uses both the zest and the juice. Zest is the thin, bright yellow outer layer of the peel, full of lemon flavor. Use a zester to scrape off only the yellow part, without the white rind underneath.
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Lemon Baked Salmon and Asparagus
- Line the pan with a parchment border. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Fold or crumple the parchment edges up into a border so the sauce and juices stay on the pan.
- PRO TIP: I use parchment a little larger than the pan, leaving plenty of paper to crumple into that border.
- Oil the skin and season the salmon. Rub the salmon skin with a little oil and place the fillets skin side down on the parchment. Season the tops lightly with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the sauce gets seasoned too.
- Trim and arrange the asparagus. Cut off the tough white ends and cut the spears in half for shorter pieces. Arrange them around the salmon in a single layer so they bake evenly.
- Whisk the sun-dried tomato lemon sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, white wine, drained sun-dried tomatoes, pressed garlic, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Spoon it evenly over the salmon and asparagus.
- Bake until the salmon is just done. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Stick with 425°F so the sun-dried tomatoes don’t char. Check the thickest part of the salmon with an instant-read thermometer. The USDA considers salmon fully cooked at 145°F. For the juiciest texture, I like mine medium to medium-well, at 125°F to 135°F.
- No thermometer? Press the center of the fillet: it should feel firm with the slightest bit of give. The outside should look opaque, while the inside still has a slight shine.
- Spoon on the pan juices. Right before serving, spoon the lemony juices collected in the parchment over the salmon and asparagus.
What to Serve with Baked Salmon and Asparagus
Since the vegetable is already on the pan, all this dinner really needs is something to catch those pan juices:
- Rice pilaf: Light, fluffy rice pilaf keeps the plate simple and soaks up every bit of sauce.
- Parmesan rice: For a richer side, creamy Parmesan rice pairs nicely with the tangy sauce.
- Risotto: For a dinner that feels a little more special, serve it with Parmesan risotto.
- Orzo salad: A cool, tangy Mediterranean orzo salad works well on warm-weather nights.
- Crusty bread: A warm, crusty baguette is perfect for mopping up the pan.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Baked Salmon and Asparagus
- Store: in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep some of the pan juices with the salmon to help it stay moist.
- Reheat: in a 275°F oven. Place the asparagus under the salmon on a rimmed baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and warm for 13 to 16 minutes, just until heated through. Leftover salmon is also great cold, flaked over a salad for lunch.
- Can I Freeze It? I don’t recommend it. Personally, I don’t freeze cooked seafood, since the texture of thawed salmon is just not the same.
Sun-Dried Tomato Lemon Baked Salmon and Asparagus Recipe FAQs
Frozen salmon works well as long as it’s completely thawed first. Thaw it slowly in the refrigerator overnight, then pat it dry with paper towels to remove extra moisture.
Skin-on salmon is my first choice for this recipe. The skin acts as a barrier against the hot pan, keeping the delicate flesh moist and tender. It also holds the fillet together, so it’s less likely to fall apart when you serve it. You don’t have to eat it, since the skin peels right off after baking. Skinless fillets still work and cook a little faster, so start checking the temperature a few minutes early if using.
Use the same amount of chicken, vegetable, or seafood stock. A small squeeze of extra lemon juice adds back some of the acidity you’d get from the wine.
Sliced or quartered zucchini, green beans, or broccolini all work, as long as you choose a vegetable that roasts in about the same time as the salmon.
My oven temperatures are for a conventional oven. A convection (fan-forced) oven cooks faster, so start checking the salmon several minutes early.
That’s albumin, a harmless protein that gets pushed out of the flesh as the salmon cooks. It shows up more often with previously frozen salmon, and you can simply scrape it off before serving.
Bake this one uncovered. The parchment border underneath is all you need to keep the sauce and juices on the pan.
With medium to thick spears, the asparagus and salmon finish together in the 18 to 20 minute bake. Pencil-thin spears cook much faster, so add them to the pan after salmon has been cooking for a few minutes already.
More Recipes From Me
- Lemon Herb Butter Baked Cod with Asparagus and Tomatoes
- Creamy Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Salmon
- Tomato Basil Pan Seared Mahi Mahi
- Cajun Baked Salmon
- Pecan Crusted Salmon
- Holiday Baked Salmon
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Sun Dried Tomato Lemon Baked Salmon Recipe with Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon fillets skin on
- 10 oz asparagus
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 oz diced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil just tomatoes, strain off the oil
- 1 tsp dried crushed basil
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp Salt more or less to taste
- 1/8-1/4 tsp Fresh cracked black pepper more or less to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. I like to create a border with parchment paper edges so the sauce and juices stay inside.
- Rub salmon skin with some oil and place salmon fillets on the parchment paper, skin down.
- Season salmon with a little salt and pepper.
- Cut the white edges of the asparagus off and cut the stalks in half, to create shorter pieces.
- Add asparagus to the baking sheet, around salmon. Try to place asparagus in one layer so it bakes evenly.
- In a small bowl, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, wine, sun-dried tomatoes, pressed garlic, dry basil, salt, and pepper. Whisk well and spoon the sauce mixture over salmon and asparagus.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of salmon fillets.
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All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
I loved the recipe, and cooked it for 18minutes, the sun dried tomatoes got over cooked and charred, next time I’ll use 400 rather than 450.I sauted chopped onions and garlic and then added the rest of the sauce.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! For next time, just a quick note: the recipe says to set the oven to 425°F. Your addition of sautéed onions and garlic to the sauce sounds fantastic and must have added a wonderful depth of flavor. Happy cooking!
Delish! I did not have green beans but had small zucchini. Very good. Will def make again. Thank you!
I am so glad you liked the recipe!
Only made the salmon, which was delicious! Served it with a side of rice pilaf and steamed broccoli. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I am so glad you liked it, Alicia!
Hi Lyuba,
I’m about to try this delish looking recipe for the first time … just a wee question. Are your temperatures fan forced or conventional.
Cheers
Jackie
I use a conventional oven since that is what most people use. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I love this dish so much. I’d like to make it again but with more of the sauce to put on white rice. How do I make more of the sauce that doesn’t get vaporized in the oven?
Hi. I wanted to try this recipe as it sounded so good. I just have one question though. Can I use frozen salmon fillet? Bought some from the store today.
You can always use frozen just make sure it is completely thawed and use a paper towel to get the extra moisture out of it.
Is there a good green substitute for asparagus? Out of season currently
Made this for dinner today and the flavor is incredible! Light and fresh but bold at the same time. My first time cooking salmon in parchment paper and it comes out so juicy. Will definitely include this in my meal rotation!
I love this recipe. I’ve pinned it on my Antiinflammatory Diet section on Pinterest and have made it for my family several times. It fits with my diet and we all enjoy it.
I am glad to hear that, Michelle! 🙂
YUM! Looking for recipes for our Alaskan salmon
I hope you enjoy this one! I have several others on this site as well! 🙂
Had this last night for dinner. It was absolutely delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re so welcome! I am so glad you liked it!
The presentation was beautiful! I used all the ingredients in the recipe but I did steam the asparagus for 10 minutes first and baked the salmon and asparagus for 12 minutes.
Hi Laurie,
I am so glad you liked it! 🙂
I want to make this Sun Dried Salmon dish, but I do not like Salmon with the skin on…..can this be made without the skin…..with a filet of Salmon? It looks so yummy!!
Hi Donna,
You can absolutely make this without the skin! It will even cook a bit faster without the skin 🙂
I hope you enjoy it!
Hello, long time lurker, first time commenter – would love to give this recipe a go. I don’t cook with alcohol so what would you suggest as a good sub for the wine? Would it change much of the taste if removed from recipe? Thank you.
Hahaha, hi Alice and I’m so sorry for late response!
You can always use cooking wine, it doesn’t contain wine. You can also add some chicken or veggie stock. You may even be able to find seafood stock you can use.
I hope you enjoy it and keep lurking!
Could you tell me what lemon zest is? This looks yummy. Also, how do I make or get the sun dried tomatoes? Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
Hi Donna!
Yes, lemon zest of the very outer part yellow part of the lemon, without the white rind. So you can use a zester to scrape off the very outer, yellow part of the lemon.
I hope you will make it and enjoy it!
Hey Lyuba…! i love salmon and your dish looks sooooo yummy and delicious with most beautiful photography. i can’t wait make this recipe….Thanks for sharing and keep shared your amazing recipes…!
Thank you for the sweet words, Samantha! 🙂
Love it, looks great!
Thank you, Lisa!!
What yummy, I adore it!
Photos are very beautiful.
Thank you so much, Jane!